June 3, 1999

TWO CHICAGO-AREA NURSING HOMES FINED

SPRINGFIELD, IL - The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined two Chicago-area nursing homes:

• Alden-Long Grove Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, a 248-bed skilled and intermediate care facility located at RFD Hicks Road, Long Grove (Lake County); and

• St. Joseph Home of Chicago, a 173-bed skilled care facility located at 2650 N. Ridgeway Ave., Chicago (Cook County).

Alden-Long Grove was fined $10,000 for failing to properly supervise a 77-year-old resident with a history of wandering. As the result of a complaint investigation, Department surveyors learned that on Jan. 23, 1999, the woman left the facility unnoticed and was found about two hours later lying on the ground. She was taken to a nearby hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit in critical condition with complications from hypothermia.

A check of the facility exit doors revealed that the door the resident used to leave the building had malfunctioned and the alarm did not alert staff. (Statement of Violation)

St. Joseph Home was fined $10,000 for failing to continue cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a resident who fell down a stairwell in his wheelchair. When found, the resident was unresponsive, without vital signs and had lacerations to his head. A staff member began CPR, but stopped when another staffer said the resident had a do-not-resuscitate order. Facility policy, however, mandates that, once it is begun, CPR should not be stopped unless so instructed by a physician or paramedic.

As part of a mandatory plan of correction, the facility was ordered to have a physician or medical advisory committee develop policies and procedures to be followed during a medical emergency and to establish staff responsibilities in performing CPR. (Statement of Violation)

Alden-Long Grove and St. Joseph Home have requested hearings on the Department's actions. Hearing dates have not been scheduled.

Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments